The Beauty and The Freak
by Aerysa
Summary: -DtB Fairytale Series- Story #1 - Beauty and the Beast
1. Chapter 1

New story! Lolz, I have to admit that I got the idea for this story after reading someone else's FMA fanfic. I couldn't help it since I thought it'd be fun to put Misaki and the others to a fairytale-ish story. I would think that the title kind of gives it away, but the plot of this story follows (for the most part) the plot of the Disney movie, Beauty and the Beast. (I can't remember the exact order of how things happened.)

I won't say much besides that Misaki's the main character (ie. Belle) and the rest... Well you can either figure it out from the title and what not, or just wait to find out who's who and what happens.

As you can imagine, there's a lot of OOC silliness in order for this story to work. But *shrugs* It's a new adventure for them :p

I haven't forgotten about my other story, but this idea wouldn't leave me alone after it came to me so I've been kind of obsessed about writing it. Hope you like it!

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**The Beauty and The Freak**

**Chapter One**

"Father! Father!"

Misaki rounded the corner to peek into her father's study; to find him exactly where she expected him to be. His eyes were glued to the computer screen, scanning along while he read; his finger tapping out a rhythmic beat as he alternated between clicking the mouse and scrolling down the screen. He was at it again, drawn into the world of fantasy and invention... Smiling slightly, Misaki entered the room to join him.

"Father," she said again. "I've made breakfast and left it for you on the kitchen table."

"Mm," came his reply indicating he had heard.

She dropped a kiss to the top of his head, glancing towards the screen to see what had him this enraptured. Sighing softly, he was enthralled by the invention of an electrical conducting wand – so it appeared to be. Finally, her eyes shifted to the small digital clock at the bottom right corner of his screen. A gasp escaped her lips as she confirmed that the time she saw there was indeed the same as the one on her watch.

"Father, I have to go or I'll be late," she exclaimed. "Remember to eat!"

She didn't stay long enough to hear his reply – if there was one – as her legs swiftly carried her back up the stairs. Grabbing her things, she was out the door which closed whisper quiet behind her. She was going to be late and if there was one thing she couldn't stand, it was tardiness. Her pace was clipped, but she always managed to carry herself with an air of elegance and grace, despite the urgency.

The sunlight kissed her pale cheeks and cheered her spirit; she couldn't help smiling. She was already late... It wouldn't hurt to enjoy the warmth for a little while longer. And with this thought, her steps slowed.

"Misaki! My beautiful Misaki!"

Humming and lost in thought, Misaki didn't realize that someone was calling out to her until he gently tapped her on the shoulder. Turning around, she was feeling gracious until her eyes caught sight of who it was. So she might have lied. There was one thing she didn't like even more than tardiness and that was this man standing before her.

"Hello, my beautiful Misaki," he greeted with a dimpled smile and sparkling blue eyes. "It's a wonderful day to be out for a walk. Why don't you join me? I know you'll enjoy my company."

A slight frown marred her features for a second before it disappeared. Though she really despised his arrogant ways, she knew she should still be civilized.

"I'm sorry, November," she replied politely. "I'm on my way to work now."

"Oh come now, my darling. We all know that you only work on a voluntary basis. No one is going to say anything negative if you take the day off to spend time with such a charming man as myself."

As if on cue, Misaki glanced behind him to see that his fan club was already following him around. He could have his pick of any woman, and it had to be her. But she distinctly had the feeling it was because she didn't fall for his idiotic lies. Even so, she couldn't escape from the oohs and aahs, as they extolled the reasons for his greatness.

"Look at his wonderful body," April gushed.

"I love his witty and insightful remarks," added Kanami.

"Well, I love the mysterious sparkle in his gorgeous blue eyes the best," Otsuka stated.

"November! November! Please look this way!"

Much obliged after hearing their comments, November turned their way and Misaki took the opportunity to quietly slip away. Perhaps, it hadn't been such a good idea to slow her steps. Quickening her pace once more, she hurried to work. Even if it was voluntary as November had so kindly pointed out, she loved it and she refused to give up one day of it to be with that odious man.

***

"Did you see that?" Nishijima asked as he took a sip of his coffee.

"Of course I saw that, you idiot. I have eyes in my head like everyone else."

"But she rejected November. I wonder what it is about him that the girl doesn't like."

"What's not to get?" Huang snapped. "She has a brain and he doesn't. Obviously she wouldn't like him."

"Then what about me? Would she like me?"

"Of course not! You're just as idiotic as he is if you think that she would fall for you. She could pick any man she wanted. Damn it! Now I'm out of cigarettes," he exclaimed. "We see this all the time and you ask the same thing every single time."

***

November turned around to find that his beautiful Misaki had taken off when he was preoccupied for but a moment. Okay, so he had winked and blown kisses their way, to which one had swooned, the other held a hand to her cheeks blushing and the other clasped her hands together over her heart, a look of longing in her eyes. It only took a moment and yet she still ran. Even so, he wasn't ready to give up as he was determined to make Misaki his.

***

"I'm sorry I'm late," Misaki stated as she entered into the library to find her supervisor at the front desk, sorting through returned books.

"It's quite alright. I always tell you to take time off now and again," Horai replied. "But what has you in such a pinch?"

"Nothing at all."

"Now that I don't believe," he replied with a slight smile. "Your cheeks are flushed and there is a slight wrinkle right here."

Misaki covered her forehead as he pointed to the area between her eyes. She didn't mean to frown, but she was disturbed by November's persistence. Luckily, his trio of girls tended to follow him around, allowing her to escape. He was narcissistic; just one of the reasons why she didn't like him in general. Thankfully, he never came to the library, because he knew Horai would chase him out.

"It's nothing. I'm fine," she answered, smiling for him. "So tell me. What needs to be done today? It looks like you're busy."

"Not at all. I was just biding my time as I was waiting for you to come. I knew you'd come, even if I told you to find something else to do."

"But I like coming here! Besides, father is quite busy at home."

"What is he researching now?" Horai inquired.

"Something about electricity. It seems to be quite fascinating; at least to him. He's been researching the same thing for the last few days. You know how he is. Usually, he's already looking at something new by the time the second day rolls around."

"Ah, of course... Anyways, if you really want some work to do, the books on this cart need to be re-shelved and then there are some requests to be processed."

"Okay! I'm on it!"

***

Returning home for the day, Misaki sighed contentedly. She was only allowed to work for half the day, always sent home for lunch. Even so, she enjoyed it; every moment of it. She had time to herself, to read and study. No one besides her father and Horai could understand why she liked to be at the library more than she wanted to be courted...

She had grand dreams for the future, though she had told no one. Even if she wanted love, something she decided she would like sometime much later, she didn't want someone like November. He was a disgraceful womanizer and she was much better than that. She deserved much better than that.

Today, she had a new book to bring home and it brought a smile to her face. After preparing lunch and ensuring that her father ate, she would have time to curl up for a good read while she took a bath. Then, she could prepare supper and make sure that once again, her father ate. Sometimes, when he could be drawn away from his research for long enough, they would discuss his latest findings.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"Father?"

Misaki peeked into his study, but surprisingly, didn't see him there. Concerned at this point, she entered the room to find an envelope on his desk, her name scrawled across the front. He hadn't eaten and he wasn't anywhere in the house... A sense of worry crept into heart when she saw the envelope, but she soothed her nerves before opening it.

_Misaki dear, I've gone to find the inventor of this electrical conductance wand. I must know more and he is the only one who can give me answers. Forgive me for leaving you on such short notice. You can still contact me by phone as I've brought my phone with me. Please do not worry. I shall return within a few days. Love, father._

Smiling to herself, she forgave him for the short notice. Instead, she sat down at his desk and picked up the phone. He would never abandon her. No one else believed in him, but she would always support her father in all that he did. He was the one who had taught her to follow her own dreams.

"_Hello?"_

"Hi father. Where are you now?" Misaki asked.

"_Hello dear. I'm sorry for not telling you earlier... I just couldn't stand not knowing anymore. I couldn't find enough information."_

"That's quite alright. I'll call you every day until you return. Make sure you eat and take care of yourself. You like to force yourself to do more than you can. You're not young anymore."

"_I know that dear. And you take such good care of me. Thank you,"_ he said.

"I love you. Return soon."

"_I will. Take care of yourself."_

"Mm. You too."

Hanging up, Misaki tucked the letter into her pocket. She should have known that he would do something like this, especially seeing how much time he spent on this latest interest. Tidying up in his office before she left, she quietly closed the door before she went up for breakfast. There was still work to be done, both at the library and at home.

***

Sitting at the kitchen table, Misaki dialled in her father's number yet another time. As she put it to her ear, it continued to ring until it went to the voice message again. Gently placing down the phone, she stared around in confusion. Why was he not answering? She had told him that she would call at the same time each day. He had answered all days except for now. She had even waited for an hour.

Worried that something had happened to her father, she quietly cleaned up after herself before heading out of the house. She would feel better if she talked to someone she trusted. Horai was not only her supervisor, but a good friend of hers. They had drawn together as they were the rare intellectuals in their town. Others sided with November and his girls, for whatever reason they had.

Hurriedly making her way to the library, she didn't watch where she was going and she bumped into someone. She was about to give an apology and continue on her way when she felt herself trapped by arms around her waist. Looking up in surprise, she found herself staring into the amused blue eyes of the very man she couldn't stand.

"Hello, my love," he drawled. "Fancy meeting you here. And such perfect timing that you would run into my arms so willingly."

"I did nothing of the sort. I'm in a hurry, now please release me."

"Ah, but I'm afraid I can't."

"Why ever not?" she asked, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice. "I need to get to the library and I don't have time for this."

"I have something quite important to ask you. It wouldn't do if you didn't listen to me fully."

"What is it?"

"I knew you were curious," he answered with a grin. "After all, this is me we are talking about. I've thought about it quite carefully now and I would request that you marry me. It's quite an honour you know. I'm sure we could get along famously."

"No, now release me," Misaki answered without a second thought. "Now that I've heard your request, let me go."

"No? No? Forgive me if I heard you wrong."

"You heard me perfectly fine. I said no and I _mean_ no. Now let me go please."

He didn't and Misaki was tired of being nice. She was in a hurry, impatient to reach the library. Every minute that ticked by was causing her to become more and more worried about her father. She needed some reassurance from someone she trusted. Since he didn't release her, she used both hands to push him with all her might. It might have been the shock of her refusal, but he put up no resistance, landing on his butt while Misaki walked away.

***

"Did you see that?"

"Yes, I saw that!" Huang snapped. "Must you make such a big commotion out of everything that happens around here?"

"But she pushed him. Misaki, our beautiful Misaki, pushed him!"

"I saw that! I'm not surprised she hasn't done that earlier..."

"But he's November! Even _I_ want to be like him... And Misaki pushed him!" Nishijima exclaimed.

"My God, I heard you the first time you idiot! Now close your mouth and stop staring."

He wasn't listening and Huang only groaned, wondering what he was doing with the man in the first place. He wasn't even sure how they met or how they came to know each other anymore. Every day was the same as Eric wanted to repeat every action that took place with November and Misaki, as if he couldn't see it for himself...

***

"Hello Misaki."

"Hello, are you busy?" she asked.

"No, not really. What is it?"

"I... I need to talk to you about something..."

"I can see that. Would you like to go to my office?" Horai inquired.

Misaki nodded her head and together, they left the front entrance area. They weren't too busy as it were and people knew where to go on their own. Since he had missed her call, she couldn't help but think the worst and she couldn't stand it. Without her father, she was going to go crazy... She just didn't know what she would do with herself.

It had always been the two of them even if they didn't always do things together. But she cherished every moment she spent in his company, and that they could share the things that interested her. That was really what she wanted when it came to a husband; not some idiotic moron like November who was only interested in what he was wearing. Even so, there was no time to think about that.

"So, what is the problem?" Horai asked quietly when they were both seated in his office.

"It's my father. I told you before that he left to seek out that inventor."

"Yes, I do recall that."

"I've been calling him every day at the same time since he left," Misaki explained. "But today, he didn't answer at all. I even waited for an hour later, thinking he might be busy with something, but there was still no reply. I'm worried something happened to him."

"Ah, did he say how long it took to reach his destination?"

"No, he didn't. But his note said that he would return in a few days and when I spoke to him directly, he said he would return soon."

"Have you ever thought that perhaps he has reached his destination?" Horai suggested. "You do know that your father has a one-track mind. I'm sure he has met up with this inventor and that the two of them are lost in discussion to the point that he has lost track of time. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about."

"I... I never thought of that," she admitted. "I was just so worried when he didn't reply."

"I'm sure it'll be fine. Are you feeling better?"

"Yes, yes, of course. Thank you. I knew I would feel better after talking to you," she answered with a smile. "I just needed a voice of reason to help me through this."

Horai smiled before the two of them left the office together. Now that her problem was solved, he was positive that she would want to get to work. She insisted on working longer hours since her father was out of town and he found that he couldn't deny her request. After all, he had been sending her home early because he knew how absent-minded her father could be.

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**A/N:** My apologies to any Nishijima fans XD I just thought it'd be funny for him to be an idiot. And as anyone who has watched the movie before knows, nothing like that really happens in the movie. It's my way of including more characters from the series. There have already been hints as to who "the freak" is... hehe~ Hope you liked the chapter :)


	3. Chapter 3

I hope no one feels overwhelmed by how often I update this story... My plan is to update every other day until it's finished because I'm running out of time :p haha, I'll be away on holidays starting in May and I won't have time to update. So to be nice to everyone, I want to have it all up before I leave. It seems the only way to do that is to update both stories every other day, alternating between the two...

Anyways, here's the next chapter! :)

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**Chapter Three**

Anxiously pacing in front of her father's desk, Misaki finally sat down in his chair. Despite what Horai had told her, she hadn't been able to reach her father for the last few days. Every time, it would ring until it reached his voice mail. She had even left urgent messages a couple times, but nothing... How could she not worry at this point?

Turning on the computer, she tried to calm her nerves as she waited for it to load. It wouldn't do to sit around. She was positive something had happened to him and she needed to know what it was. The first step would be to find out the address of the man he had been searching for. Unfortunately, her father hadn't shared much about this obsession and she was forced to search through his bookmarks for the right pages.

It took her an hour to find everything she needed including his address and a map to his location. It took her another hour to gather her belongings as she knew it would take more than a day to reach them. She had considered telling Horai, but she figured he would only try to placate her and she knew better than that. Father would never leave her alone for this long without any contact at all.

Packing everything she needed into a suitcase, she pulled out her car keys. It had been a while since she had last driven as everything essential to their existence was within walking distance. But it would take too long to reach her father if she walked. Entering the detached garage, she pulled the cover off her car and started it, to make sure that everything still worked. Her gas tank was full and it purred beautifully, just like it did when it was used every day.

Tossing the suitcase into the trunk, she turned off the car as she wanted to double check that all the windows were closed and doors locked in the house. It took her a moment before she was finally ready to leave. No matter what, she wasn't going to return home until she found her father safe and sound.

***

Staring at the map in front of her, Misaki groaned softly. She was lost as she was positive she had taken a wrong turn. As a result, she was forced to drive around to find a safe place to stay. It was getting late and she needed to rest. It seemed like she had driven in a maze before she found a quiet and remote inn to stay at.

Pulling up into their parking lot, she was surprised that there were no other cars in sight. Then again, she supposed that was the point when it was so out of the way. Even so, she was relieved to have found the place. She could ask for directions as well as rest for the evening. Next morning, she would start out bright and early. She wanted to get to her father as soon as possible.

From the trunk, she pulled out her suitcase and made her way to the inn. As she glanced around, she felt a shiver dance up her spine. She wasn't sure what it was, but she felt a little apprehensive about this place after stepping out of the safety of her car. Perhaps it would be better to stay in the car... But then she couldn't ask about directions. Clearing her mind of all distractions, she focused on her poor father instead.

"Hello?" she called out when she entered since there was no one at the front desk. "Is there anyone here?"

She placed her suitcase on the floor by the front desk, glancing around. It seemed cozy enough. It didn't seem like it was haunted or anything as there were bright lights all around the room and flowers on several of the side tables. All in all, it actually seemed like a nice place to stay.

"Hello?" she tried again.

"Ah, hello there," came a response.

"Um... Hello," she replied, not seeing anyone.

"Down here."

She finally glanced down to see a little girl with blonde hair staring up at her. The girl smiled at her, so she smiled back. Kneeling since it seemed the polite thing to do, Misaki held out her hand as she introduced herself. The other girl took her hand and gave her a firm handshake.

"Hello Misaki. My name is Amber. Bai should be around here somewhere... I bet she went to the kitchen to bake something. It's her favourite thing to do since we don't get many guests out here."

"Ah, and Bai would be?"

"She's my partner. We own this inn together," she answered. "Now, how long would you like to stay? Any room you want is yours."

"I only need to stay for one night."

"One night?" she complained. "That's not fun at all! We don't get enough visitors! Can't you stay a little longer?"

"I'm sorry... I can't. I'm actually looking for someone."

"Who?"

"My father... He disappeared," Misaki explained. "He's into researching the latest inventions and he said he was going to find the man whose invention has caught his attention this time around."

"Inventions? No... You can't be serious!"

"What do you mean?"

"Around here... The only inventor who lives around here is the freak!" Amber exclaimed in horror. "Your father couldn't be looking for him..."

"Amber, don't be rude."

Misaki looked up to see another girl standing there with dark brown hair tied back in a ponytail, white flour dusting her cheeks. She seemed older as Amber mumbled an apology. Even so, her words were like a clamp that squeezed at her heart. Staring at the other girl as Misaki stood up, she watched as she dusted off her hands and joined them.

"Hello, I'm sorry I didn't come sooner. I'm Bai," she replied with a smile.

"Misaki. I'm looking for my father. Anything you can tell me would be a great help. What did she mean by the freak?"

"That's just what we call him," Bai answered with a sigh. "He's really weird... And creepy... We've only seen him a couple times. He wears a mask, so I don't really know what he looks like. But I've heard some horror stories about how he tries out his inventions on people he's captured..."

"You don't think... He's taken my father hostage? That would make sense since I couldn't contact him at all."

"It's possible... If that's the case, you should give up. I understand he's your father, but you don't know what he's capable of!"

"I can't," Misaki replied, shaking her head. "He's all that I have left and he means everything to me. I couldn't leave him alone, especially if he's in a situation like this..."

"Is there nothing we can say to convince you otherwise?" Amber asked. "You could always stay with us if you have no one left."

"Amber! Don't be rude."

"Sorry..."

"You can stay here," Bai replied. "I'll show you where to go if you really want to go tomorrow morning. But first, get some rest."

"How much will that be?"

"Don't worry about that. It's on the house. It's more important that you find your father. I really hope that we're wrong about this..."

"Thank you."

Bai shook her head as she helped carry Misaki's suitcase up to one of the rooms. Misaki thanked her yet again as she dropped it off. She glanced around at the room, grateful for the beautiful space she would occupy for the evening. Given what they said, it might be the last time she ever stayed in a place like this.

***

"Are you really sure?"

"Yes, I am," Misaki replied. "Please just tell me where to go."

"Alright... After you get out of our driveway, turn to the right. From there, you'll go ten miles straight. Turn left when you reach the intersection there. Another three miles from there, you'll come to a dead end before the forest. That's about as far you can go by car. The rest of the way, you'll have to go on foot. It should be straight in front of you, but I don't know the distance..."

"Thank you."

"Wait!" Amber exclaimed, rushing out of the inn to join them. "At least take these with you!"

Misaki smiled, grateful for the treats as Amber handed her a basket filled with pastries. They must have worked on them after she had gone to sleep last night. She didn't get too much rest, too anxious to fall asleep. And when she did, they were filled with horrible visions of this man they had referred to as the freak. She couldn't imagine what kind of torture her father was being put through.

"If you get the chance, please come back with your father."

"I will; thank you."

They waved to her as she drove out of their parking lot. She waved back, putting on a brave face even though her nerves were jittery. Whatever she had to do, she had to get to her father. And if he was truly in a dangerous place, she would do all that she could to protect him. He was too old to be put through torture. Misaki was worried that it would be too much for him to handle.

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**A/N:** Those who have watched the movie will know that there's not actually an inn scene. It's just another modification of mine to have more characters show up. I really wanted Bai and Amber to be in it! Trying to have most of main characters show up in the story, even if it's just a teeny tiny part.


	4. Chapter 4

Next chapter! For those of you waiting for the Freak... This will be his first appearance! :)

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**Chapter Four**

It was almost an hour before she reached the dead end before the forest. It shouldn't have taken that long, but she had to stop a few times, too scared to go forward. Then she would remember her loving father, suffering at the hands of this man... The image of his wand would flash in her mind, before she shuddered at the thought of its abilities being tested on her father.

It seemed silly, but she felt safer to have something with her as she headed into the forest. Compared to the daylight she had seen on the road, it was dark and eerie as the treetops blocked out most of the sun. She had only gone a few meters into the forest with her suitcase and pastry basket, but it already seemed like night.

A glance backwards told her that she still wasn't far from her car, but she shook aside those selfish thoughts. Her father needed her now more than ever. She had to keep moving forward until she found him. At the same time, she couldn't help wondering how someone could live in such a place like this... If she survived this, she was sure she would get nightmares every night.

She stopped now and again, to partake of the treats in the basket. It wasn't out of hunger that she ate, but rather nervousness. Even so, she knew it would be important to ration what she had. Bai didn't know how far she had to go in before she reached this man's place. It could be a mile or twenty. She just hoped that it wouldn't take too long, to the point that she had to stay the night in this creepy forest.

***

A clearing was in the distance and Misaki sighed. There wasn't enough light to allow her to see her watch. All she knew was that it seemed like it had taken forever. Even so, she was almost there. All she had to do was enter the building and find her father. If they were caught, she would plead for their lives, hoping that he would have some compassion on them.

When she entered the clearing, it was to find that she stood before a mansion. Cold and grey concrete steps greeted her and she carefully climbed each step as she locked her eyes on the large front doors. The place was grander than anything she had ever seen before, but she couldn't help wondering why someone would want to live in such an isolated location...

Timidly, she knocked on the door. Waiting for a response, she heard nothing. There were no footsteps or even voices on the other side. Knocking again, she tried a little harder this time, thinking that whoever was inside wouldn't have heard her if they were far away. But once again, there was no response, even when she waited for ten minutes.

Eventually, she tried the door handle and the door swung up with ease. There were no squeaks or complaints from the door joints. Entering cautiously, she stepped inside and closed the door behind her. Leaving her belongings at the front door, she walked in a few steps, glancing around. The tiled foyer was larger than any house she had seen. It seemed the same size as the plaza back in town.

"Hello?" she called out, her voice echoing off the walls. "Is anyone there?"

She didn't hear anything but her own voice and a chill ran down her spine. Perhaps she could find her father and be in and out of the mansion before anyone noticed. As she walked further in, what she didn't notice was the gaze of two purple orbs watching her from the balcony above. A light ring of a bell sounded from the movements above, but they were lost in the echo of her heels tapping against the tiles.

"Hello?" she tried again. "I'm looking for my father... Please answer me if you're there."

The place was too large and she didn't even know where to look first. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and hoped to rely on intuition. There was no other way she was going to find him. She realized that he would be somewhere deep inside the mansion if he was taken as a hostage. She headed into the back, looking for the sign of a door which led to a cold and dark place.

"Hello?" she continued to call out, hoping someone would answer her.

There was still no response and she finally reached the end of the hallway to stand in front of a dark metal door. It was different from all the others. When she tried to push it open, it squeaked in protest and Misaki shuddered from the sound. Her heart was pounding nervously in her chest as she was trespassing. If he saw fit, he could kill her for this...

"Hello?" she asked, when she stepped inside. "Is anyone there?"

She glanced around, hoping to find a light switch. Reaching around carefully, her hands felt around on the wall next to her and she finally felt a knob on the wall. Twisting it slowly, the light teased her until she turned it on to maximum. It took a moment for her eyes to readjust to the light. A set of stairs was in front of her and she took them carefully.

"Father? Are you in here?" she inquired repeatedly.

It wasn't until she was two-thirds up the stairs that she heard his response. Quickening her steps, she made the rest of the way up, continually calling out for him. She glanced around as there were more of those metal doors she had first encountered on her way in... It looked like a prison, but she tried to ignore those details, focusing on her father's voice instead.

"Father?"

"Misaki! Misaki, is that you?" he asked.

"Father!" she exclaimed when she found the right door. "Is that you?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to find you!" she exclaimed. "You were gone for so long... I was so worried. How are you doing? Are you eating enough?"

"Don't worry about me! Get out of here!"

"I can't leave you here!"

"You have to! He's a monster!" he replied anxiously. "He'll lock you up as well."

"But you're in here... I can't go back without you..."

"Ah, I see I have another willing subject then."

Misaki whirled around at the voice. A look of panic froze on her face as she stared into a white mask with blood red lips and a purple lightning bolt zigzagging across his right eye. The face continued to move towards her as he stepped out of the shadows to reveal that he was covered by a long jacket, the color of midnight.

"Misaki! Leave now!" her father pleaded. "Please, don't hurt her! She meant no harm in coming here! Please!"

Her throat constricted, blocking out her voice when she tried to speak. All she could do was back away until her body was pressed up against the cold metal door behind her. Even so, he didn't speak as she noticed that his dark blue eyes assessed her. She paled, wondering if there was any way to overpower him and free her father. Then she shook her head as she knew it would be impossible.

"Maybe I should lock you up with your father," he stated when he was standing a foot away from her. "How would you like that? I'm sure I could find plenty of things to test on the both of you."

"L – Leave my father alone!" Misaki retorted nervously. "He hasn't done anything to you!"

"No? Well, he did come here willingly. And he said he was interested in my conductance wand. The only thing I haven't done yet is to test it on someone... If he likes it that much, he might as well be my first test subject."

"He never expected that you would be like this," she replied angrily, upset by the injustice he was showing them. "He only came because he respected your work!"

"Even so, I really do need someone to test it on..."

"You can test it on me then!"

"M – Misaki! What are you saying?" her father protested. "It will kill you! You can't possibly agree to something like this! I'm already old... It doesn't matter what happens to me."

"No, that's not true," she argued. "You're important to me! And I won't let anything happen to you. It's because I'm young that I'll be fine!"

"Hm... So you say. You're also very beautiful."

Misaki shuddered at his response, wondering if she would be better off trapped with him for the rest of her life, or with November. At this point, she couldn't decide which would be worse. But Amber and Bai had been correct in their assessment. Despite their warnings, she refused to back down when it came to protecting her father. He was more important to her than anything else.

His gloved fingers reached out to stroke her cheek and Misaki squeezed her eyes shut, wondering what he would do to her. It was a light touch, leaving her to wonder if he was assessing the bargain he was in the process of working out.

"Misaki!! Don't do this!!"

"Well... I don't think you're in any position to decide," her captor responded. "I do believe I should like the company of your beautiful daughter instead. If you promise to give her to me, then I won't test anything on her."

"You have to free my father then," she retorted. "I... I promise that I will stay with you."

"No! Misaki!!"

She couldn't see his expression behind the mask, but Misaki wondered if he grinned as he pulled her out of the way. Pushed behind him, she heard him slip the key into the lock and the door was pushed open before her father was dragged out of his cell. He pushed the old man towards her and she embraced him tightly, tears in her eyes as she knew she was doomed to stay here forever. Suddenly, his body shook and he went rigid. He was pulled from her arms before she could say anything.

"What did you do to him?!" she cried as her captor had grabbed him, walking away from her at a brisk pace.

"It's time for him to go home," he replied.

**********

**A/N:** Ahaha~ I can't help it! I'm a Hei/Misaki fan! XD Poor Misaki... Scared of him cuz of his freaky mask.


	5. Chapter 5

A new chapter for everyone to enjoy!~

**********

**Chapter Five**

Misaki sobbed as she had been shown to her room, her belongings thrown in with her. She glanced at the basket she had placed on the side table, miserable that she was trapped here. It had crossed her mind that she could try to escape, but she was scared that he would do something to harm her father if she tried.

"Father, please be alright..."

"He's alright."

"Who's there?" Misaki asked, startled by the other voice in the room. "What do you want? Did he send you to spy on me?"

"Nothing of the sort. My master lets me do as I please."

Misaki glanced around the room, unable to locate the owner of the voice. There was no one else in the room, so was she hearing things? She glanced around carefully this time, rubbing away the tear stains on her cheeks. Finally, she spotted two purple eyes, staring at her from the top of her new dresser. She backed away, scrambling to the back of her bed to get away.

"I won't hurt you."

"S – Show yourself... H – How did you get in here?" she asked nervously.

"I was already in here when I figured that master was keeping you instead. I knew he would pick this room too."

"Who are you?"

"Maybe you'll find out if you turn on the lights," he suggested.

Cautiously, hoping it wasn't a trick, Misaki climbed off the bed and headed for the door as the light switch was beside it. He had shown her to her room, pushing her inside along with everything else. He hadn't said anything else before he left her on her own. Feeling around for the switch, she flipped it on and turned around to see a black cat resting lazily on her dresser top.

"W – What?" she replied in confusion.

"Hello to you too."

"H – How can you talk?!"

"I don't know," he answered. "I always could. Of course, you must think I'm a freak just like my master. That's what everyone thinks."

"I – I didn't think that."

"You don't have to say. It shows on your face."

"I..."

"You don't have to say, I said," he stated calmly as he started to lick a paw. "I'm Mao, by the way. Do you have a name, missy?"

"I... I'm Misaki."

"Well that's a lovely name, to go with your lovely face. Now, I guess my master was too lazy to give you all the ground rules."

"What would those be?" inquired Misaki, feeling awkward for speaking with a cat.

"There's not many around here. Mostly, that you obey whatever my master tells you to do. The only other one is that you do not go near the west wing rooms. Otherwise, you're free to go wherever you like."

"Even outside?"

"If you like... I'm sure you know what will happen if you do try to escape though," Mao warned her. "Master is most unforgiving if you disobey, so I don't suggest that you try."

"What's in the west wing rooms?"

"I have no idea," Mao answered honestly.

"And... Are we the only ones here?"

"Not at all. I'm sure you'll meet the others when you do. Now if you don't mind, would you open the door? I have the urgent need to relieve myself."

Misaki watched in wonder as the cat calmly jumped down from the dresser and gracefully made his way towards her. The bell on his collar tinkled quietly according to his movement. He stopped in front of the door, waiting patiently for her to do as he asked. He tipped his head to the side, inquiring if she was going to move, and she finally moved to open the door.

***

"Mao."

"Yes master?" he asked.

"How is she doing? I know you were talking to her."

"She has a name – Misaki. I suggest you use it instead of calling her she or her all the time."

"I never asked," he snapped. "Now tell me."

"I suppose she's doing fine, as fine as any hostage would be doing."

"I trust you told her the rules around this place."

"Of course," Mao replied. "But really... Must you be so uncivilized to everyone? If you weren't so snappy, maybe she wouldn't mind staying here."

"And what do you suggest, hm?"

"Well, I'm sure she's hungry... You could always invite her to have supper with you."

"She won't come," he retorted. "You didn't see the way she reacted to me. She thinks I'm a monster."

"Of course she does. You kidnapped her father and now you're holding her hostage in his place. I would think you were a monster too, if I didn't know you."

"What's the point?"

"Everyone thinks you're a freak, just like they do me," Mao commented. "Do you really want her to think the same of you?"

He remembered the shock he felt at seeing the beautiful girl standing at the door of his prison cell. It wasn't like he really liked being called a freak, or that he wanted to be one. And somehow, he felt a little disappointment, mixed in with the anger that she would respond the same as everyone else. Willing to come rescue her father under such circumstances, he thought that maybe, just maybe, she would be a little different from the others... But she wasn't.

"Fine, go tell her," he replied gruffly.

"Going..."

***

"Miss Misaki?"

Misaki heard a scratching at the door, but she didn't bother to answer it. He obviously didn't lock her in her room as she had been able to open it to allow Mao out. Even so, she wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone. She was miserable, as she had every right to be. For the rest of her life, she was going to be trapped in this cold and desolate building, with a man who terrified her.

"Miss Misaki?"

"What is it?" she finally asked.

"It's me, Mao. I have a message to relay to you."

"What is it?" she asked again.

"My master has requested your presence for supper. I know you're hungry by now and he would like it if you joined him."

"Is that so? Well tell him that I won't come."

"Please, Miss Misaki," Mao pleaded. "I know what you think of him, but you're wrong. I know you are."

"I won't go!"

"It won't do to anger him further..."

"I don't care!" Misaki shouted. "I said I won't go and I won't go! I don't want to be trapped here for the rest of my life with this man! I don't care for his company; now let me wallow in my depression by myself!"

Mao sighed softly as he had tried. If he was human, he would have entered the room to drag her out himself, except he wasn't. He was a cat. He had tried to warn her, but she wasn't listening... His master wasn't going to be pleased when he found out that she refused to show up for dinner. He was even trying to be civilized, somewhat, given their situation.

***

Mao made himself scarce as time drew closer and closer to suppertime. Even so, he couldn't avoid his master forever. He finally heard him bellowing for him to come, and he reluctantly made his way to his side. He sat waiting at the head of the dining room table, displeased to see that the other end was devoid of company.

"Mao, where is she?" he snapped.

"I... I tried to convince her, but she refused to come..."

"What did you say?" he asked, his voice dangerously soft.

"I said that she refused to come..."

Wincing as his master left in a hurried rage, Mao followed along as his master stormed up the stairs to her room. By the time he reached them, Mao found his master angrily pounding on her door. There was no response to him. Finally, his master opened the door and entered the room himself. Slinking into the room quietly, Mao watched the interaction carefully.

"I believe I told you to come down to supper."

"I'm not hungry," Misaki replied stubbornly.

"I don't believe you. You are coming down to supper."

"I am not!"

Misaki backed away from him as he approached the bed, only the white mask showing. She didn't understand why he was wearing such a thing, or even why he had to wear all black. All she knew was that he scared her, and she wanted nothing to do with him. He couldn't make her do anything... At least, she hoped he wouldn't.

"I _said_ you are coming down to supper!" he shouted.

"I am not! I'm not hungry!"

"Oh really?"

"I'm not," Misaki retorted.

"Fine! Then I suppose you don't need to eat at all. Hear that Mao? She is not to get anything to eat. Let her starve to death in here!"

He stormed out of the room, the door slamming shut behind him. Even so, Misaki could only be relieved that he never tried to grab her because he could have and she wouldn't be able to overpower him. Turning over to cry, a fresh bout of tears teasing her eyes, Misaki sobbed into the blanket, scared that she had to stay here with such a monster.

"Miss... If you could please let me out," Mao replied.

Misaki rubbed at her eyes, not realizing that he was still in here. She climbed off the bed and went to open the door. She didn't blame the cat, as he was only following his master's orders. He followed her to the door, stopping though she had opened it far enough for him to exit.

"I... I told you not to anger him further..."

"I don't care. I rather starve to death than eat with that man."

"So you say now," Mao replied quietly.

**********

**A/N:** Could anyone guess that Mao would be there? XD hehe, he's a servant for the freak, being a freak himself :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Later in the evening, Misaki finally cried her share of tears, alternating between worrying for herself and worrying for her father. It was then that she glanced at her watch; it told her that it was around nine at night. Her stomach had left out a soft grumble and she realized that she was hungry. She hadn't forgotten his words, but she thought that maybe she could sneak a little food.

Quietly, she tiptoed to her doorway. It opened cleanly without a sound and she stuck her head out to see if there was anyone else around. Mao had said there were others, but she didn't know how many. The coast was clear, so she stepped outside. Approaching the main stairwell, it was then that she realized that she didn't know where the kitchen was. If she could just find it, she could make something quick and easy to eat and be back in her room before anyone noticed.

"It's downstairs."

"So she finally snuck out."

Misaki spun around in surprise, as two voices had come from behind her. She stared at the two people standing in front of her, unsure of how they had appeared there when she had checked beforehand. The boy was shorter than the girl, with short blonde hair and blue-grey eyes. The girl was almost the same height as she, with her silver hair tied in a high ponytail and purplish eyes. Both of them had no expression on their faces.

"I... I wasn't trying to do anything suspicious," she said quietly.

"No, you're just hungry," the girl stated calmly. "I know. Mao already told us what had happened."

"I..."

"It's fine. We'll show you where it is," the boy replied. "Come with us."

Misaki looked at both of them carefully, but it was hard to tell if they were lying when their expressions didn't change. They stepped down the stairs and Misaki could only follow as she was certain that going with them was better than getting lost. Perhaps they were taking pity on her, something their master clearly did not have.

"I'm Yin."

"And I'm July."

"Misaki," she answered.

"We know."

They didn't talk any further and the three of them quietly made their way to the kitchen. They hadn't lied and Mao was there waiting for them. If a cat could smile, that was what he looked like... He jumped down from the table and walked towards them, to nudge Misaki further into the room. She tried to protest, but Mao silenced her.

"Yin, set the plates. July, take the leftovers from the fridge," Mao instructed.

"W – Won't you get in trouble?"

"Perhaps, but even so, I don't believe that master really wanted you to starve. He just said that because he was upset that you didn't come down."

"Why would he be upset?" Misaki asked. "I'm a hostage anyways. It's not like he has to be nice to me, because it won't change the situation."

Mao wisely kept his mouth shut as he had already said too much. He was acting on instinct and he was prepared to deal with any punishment that his master might dish out. For now, she was the best chance they had. His master hadn't been like this before, and he thought that Miss Misaki was the one to change who he had become.

"Come, have some food," Mao said instead. "It's cold by now, but I'm sure you're hungry."

"I... Thank you."

She smiled softly, and Mao was convinced that she was the one. When she wasn't angry and shouting, she was down-right beautiful. Maybe if his master could see this softer side of her, then he would realize that he had a chance. But until then, it was up to the three of them to facilitate their interactions.

"It's very good. Who cooks around here?" Misaki inquired.

"That's me."

"And I clean the dishes," July replied.

"What about Mao?"

"I suppose I'm somewhat of a butler..."

"Is there no one else around here?" Misaki asked.

"Just the three of us and master."

"Is that why it's so dark and dirty around here?"

"Yes. It would be too much work for the three, more like two, of us to do all by ourselves. We only take care of the areas that master uses."

"I see."

Misaki sat quietly chewing her food, remembering Mao's warning about the west wing. It made her curious to know what kinds of secrets her captor kept. For such a terrible man as him, he had some faithful servants that they would still stay with him. She could understand in Mao's case as he was a talking cat! But she couldn't figure out why the other two would stay with him.

"I'm psychic."

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"People think I'm a freak because I'm psychic," Yin replied. "That's why I stay here because master doesn't think of me that way. We're all here because outside, everyone thinks of us as freaks."

"Then what about July?"

"He's emotionless. They think he's a doll."

"You seem pretty emotionless to me," Misaki muttered.

"That too. That's why we stay here."

"Anyways, if you're finished eating, we can show you around," Mao replied.

"Mm... Okay. Is there a library here? I really like reading."

Misaki felt herself cheer up a little bit. In a mansion this large, surely he had something worth reading as she could already imagine how large the library would be. She followed along as the other three took her around, giving her a tour of the area. Things didn't seem as bad when she knew where things were.

"So um, where is this west wing area we're not supposed to go?" Misaki asked.

"I wouldn't think about that if I were you. We're not allowed to go there."

"I know. That's why I asked, so I know not to go there when I'm alone."

The four of them stopped and the three of them pointed in the direction of the other staircase in the corner. Misaki made note of it, as she hadn't noticed it before. She carefully tucked away that knowledge as they led her to the library. Glancing around in awe, she was pleased to see the shelves of books that lined the walls.

"Do you think I could read these books?" Misaki inquired shyly.

"Sure, I don't see why not. Though, I will tell you that master will come here on his own from time to time. He likes to read as well."

"I... Can I take it to my room then?"

"Yes, of course. He did say you could go anywhere, _except_ the west wing," Mao responded. "If you would like to take a couple books with you, I can show you back to your room."

"Thank you..."

Misaki smiled as she wandered towards the nearest bookshelf. It felt like she was in the library back home – almost. There she could leave any time she wanted and was usually kicked out... Here, it would be her only sanctuary from that man. While she spent her time looking for books to read, she didn't notice that Yin and July had left them.

***

Rushing into the local pub, he saw November sitting around with his cronies. Relieved to find someone, Naoyasu quickly approached him, desperate to find someone to save his Misaki. She was trapped in the clutches of that evil man... He couldn't bear to think what type of suffering she would go through.

"November! Please, you have to help me!"

"Oy, it's the old man. What do you want?" he asked snidely, feeling bruised by Misaki's rejection of his marriage proposal. "I'm busy here."

"It's Misaki! She's in trouble!"

"Now, now. What kind of trouble could she possibly be in?"

"He's a monster! A freak!" Naoyasu exclaimed. "He's captured her and taken her hostage. He'll kill her with all his treatments and tests..."

"What freak?" he inquired with a laugh. "You're delusional. Go home already."

"I'm not lying!"

"Oh quit your yapping," November snapped, picking him up by the back of his shirt.

Naoyasu continued to shout about a freak that had kidnapped Misaki, but no one was listening. Instead, he was tossed out onto the street, bouts of laughter floating towards him from the other patrons. November could only shake his head in disbelief that he could come up with such an elaborate hoax... A freak that kidnapped Misaki... No one would believe that.

"Did you hear that?" he asked his cronies. "What kind of delusions do you think he's having?"

"No idea, but that's priceless! A freak! There are none of those around here."

"He's probably crazy... Poor Misaki doesn't realize it," he replied with a wicked grin. "She'll need someone to take care of her when she finds out that her father has gone mad..."

"Oh, what are you thinking?"

"No one rejects me! I'll make her see the light."

"No! Marry me instead!" Otsuka shouted, jealous that he was still not over Misaki.

"No, me!! I'm better than both of them!!"

"No, I'm the best! Marry me, November!" April exclaimed.

"Silence! I just need to wait until the timing is right before I convince her."

"It'll never work," Huang muttered to himself as he listened in on the boisterous discussion of November's plans.

**********

**A/N:** _He's emotionless. They think he's a doll._ haha, that's my fave line in this chapter :p


	7. Chapter 7

Sorry that it's just a short chapter this time around, but it was the best cut-off place. But I will say that it's leading up to something good! Cuz the next chapter is probably one of my favorites for this story XD Enjoy~

**********

**Chapter Seven**

It was well past midnight and she had amused herself with her novel, but she was still curious to know what it was that he was hiding from them. Even Mao hadn't known about his secret. She was itching to know. She hadn't seen him since he demanded her presence at dinner.

Quietly putting away her book, she wondered if Yin would prove to be a nuisance with her psychic abilities. She hadn't elaborated on how it worked and Misaki didn't want to get caught. Though his servants didn't seem scared of him, that wasn't something she could say for herself. He scared her with his angry words and haunting white mask.

This time, she was extra careful when she peeked out to see if anyone else was around. She knew there were only three other people and one cat in the building, besides her. Positive she could get away with this, she slipped down the stairs, purposely not wearing her shoes to avoid the click-clack of the heels against the floor.

Reaching the bottom, she glanced around to make sure that no one saw her. Then she continued to the other stairwell, keeping to the shadowed walls under the upper balcony. For good measure, she peeked around again when she reached the bottom of the forbidden stairwell. Carefully, she checked each crevice to make sure that none of them were spying on her.

Taking in a deep breath, she quietly climbed the stairs, making delicate movements. She was even scared to breathe too deeply, lest he heard her. When she reached the top, it seemed like she was in a different world. It was dirty, in a different sense, compared to the other part of the mansion. Over here, there were cobwebs and dust covering everything.

Her eyes took in everything she could see, portraits on the wall. Perhaps they were his family? Her imagination went into overdrive as she tried to think of a plausible reason to why he hid his face. Was he scarred and deformed beyond all human recognition? Was that why he was so angry all the time? Why did he even create things? What was his purpose?

These thoughts, and more, swirled through her mind as she slowly made her way to the first doorway. A quick glimpse over her shoulder told her that she was still safe. A little worried that the door would squeak when she opened it, she opened it slowly. It opened softly, just as smoothly as her bedroom door. A sigh of relief escaped her lips and she gently closed it behind her.

It was hard to see in the dark, the only light from the moon, streaming in filters into the room. A glint off of a picture frame caught her attention and she made her way towards it. Squinting while she stared up at it, she reached out to brush away the thick cobwebs covering it. A handsome man stared back at her, something about him striking a chord of familiarity. His smile was warm and Misaki blushed as she felt her heart flutter in response.

Pulling away from it, she went farther into the room. Like the portrait, everything was covered in filth and grim; she couldn't help wondering why. Did this area of the mansion hold a specific secret that he didn't want anyone to know? It seemed to see years of neglect in comparison to the rest of the building. Though it wasn't spotlessly clean, it hadn't looked like this...

Something white caught her attention and she headed towards the small round table, nearest to the balcony doors. When she was close enough to recognize what it was, she realized that it was the mask that he always wore when she saw him. Was this just an extra one? Was it a cursed item? She had read about those in books before. Curious to find out, she slowly reached out to touch it.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Misaki spun around in shock when his icy words pierced her hearing. She backed away, scared that he would kill her, bumping the table in the process. His eyes glittered dangerously when he heard the mask drop and shatter. It obviously wasn't the one he was wearing, because he still had one on...

"I _said,_ what do you think you're doing?"

"I... I just..."

"Did Mao not tell you that this area of the building is out of bounds?" he snapped.

"H – He did..."

"Then what are you doing here?"

"I... I was just curious," Misaki murmured, terrified as he took a step towards her.

"I don't care if you're curious! You've gone over the line and if there is one thing I won't tolerate around here, it's disobedience! You're coming with me right now."

Screaming as he grabbed her arm, Misaki struggled, fighting with him as she was positive he was going to kill her. When he fought back to subdue her, his hand tightening around her wrist, Misaki kicked at his legs. No matter what, she had to get out of here!

"Come back here!" he bellowed, grabbing his shin while he hopped on one foot. "I'll make you pay for this!!"

Misaki wasn't listening as she dashed out of the room. Her legs carried her down the steps and out of the house. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, her face cooled by the night breeze hitting her skin. She wasn't even wearing her shoes and she had a long way to go before she reached her car again, but she didn't care. He was going to kill her if she didn't run away.

***

"Master?"

"I thought I told you that no one is allowed in here," he growled.

"I know... If you want to punish me, you can do that later. But Miss Misaki..."

"I don't care about that woman!!"

"But... She ran outside into the forest," Mao explained. "I... I think you should go after her... It's dangerous out there and you don't know what will happen."

"I told you!! I don't care about that woman!! Now leave, before I eat you for breakfast!!"

Mao's tail drooped in defeat, but he exited the room and returned to the main area of the house. He had never seen his master this angry before. Even so, he couldn't help feeling worried about Misaki. She wasn't even wearing shoes or a jacket when she dashed off into the night.


	8. Chapter 8

One of my favorite chapters in the whole story!! :)

**********

**Chapter Eight**

"Where am I?" Misaki muttered, wiping at her tears.

She had run aimlessly, hoping that she had gone in the right direction... But now she was truly lost. It had been difficult enough to find her way here during the day, and now it was after midnight. The wind whipped at her hair and she shivered as her body was numb from the cold. She glanced back, but it looked exactly the same as it did when she glanced to the front and to the sides.

Holding her arms close to her chest, she went to stand by the nearest tree, hoping for some shelter from the wind. It was odd. It was stronger inside the forest than when she had first left the house. But she wasn't sure if that was because she was tired and scared. Her thoughts turned to her father, and more tears pooled in her eyes as she thought that she would never see him again.

"Please let me be safe," she murmured to no one in particular.

Huddling by the base of the tree, she rocked herself back and forth, ignoring the pain in her feet. She had fallen a number of times; sharp rocks had stabbed into her feet; branches had scratched at her arms and her face. It was too dark to see what time it was, and she could only hope that she would survive until daylight before continuing on her way.

Closing her eyes, she tried to remain calm. _Father will be okay and I'll be okay_, she continued to repeat to herself over and over. Suddenly, a sound different from the others she had heard teased her ears. Straining to hear it again, it came from somewhere to her left and she quickly stood, searching in the darkness with her eyes.

A flicker of light was dancing in the distance and Misaki sighed. She didn't know why anyone else would be out and about at this time of night, but she was relieved that someone was there. Quickly moving towards it, ignoring her chattering teeth, Misaki eventually found herself in the company of two men who were digging into the forest ground with large shovels.

"E – Excuse m – me," she said.

Both of them glanced up to stare at her, startled by her intrusion. She glanced briefly into the pit they had dug and gasped, falling backwards when she tried to move away. Given the time of night, she should have known they were up to no good. She had just never imagined that they would be burying a dead body...

"Hm, well what have we here?" Kono asked with a leer. "Such a beautiful woman; what would she be doing here?"

"I... I'll be on my way now..."

"I think not, my beautiful miss," the other replied as he had quickly dropped the shovel to kneel beside her. "I think we might just have to work out a deal."

"W – What do you want?"

"Well... If you don't want us to kill you, like the lovely Brita there, then I suggest you keep your mouth shut and come with us."

"But what will we do with her, Saito?"

"I'm sure we can find something to do with her," he replied with a wicked grin as he reached out to stroke her cheek.

Misaki panicked and scrambled to get away from him. She never imagined that this would happen when she ran away from the freak. Backing away, she eventually reached another tree and she could back away no further. Squeezing her eyes shut, she would rather die than go with someone like him... His palm touched her cheek and she was so certain he was going to do something disgusting; the way his whiskey breath teased her nostrils.

When his hand suddenly dropped away from her, she slowly opened her eyes to see what had happened. His face was contorted in pain and he finally slumped to the ground in front of her. She hadn't heard anything. Looking at the other man, his face was twisted in horror and Misaki finally followed his gaze.

"W – What do you want?" Kono asked.

"I believe you have something of mine."

"W – What would t – that be?"

"The woman – she's mine," he stated calmly.

Misaki didn't argue the point as the freak had come to save her, or at least, she hoped that was the case... Despite his words, the other man was not backing down as he pulled out a gun. Misaki cowered in fear, terrified that she was going to get killed anyways. She had heard many stories of how easily one could die if they were hit with one of those...

"I suggest you put that away and give me back what is mine."

"You can have her, but I won't let you get away with what you did to my partner!" exclaimed Kono. "Now die!"

Screaming at the sound of the trigger, Misaki clasped her hands over her eyes. She didn't want to see this. She really didn't want to see this! A gush of wind seemed to pass her from the movements beside her, but she didn't dare to look. She didn't want to see anyone die and she had already seen one today.

When the sounds were too much for her, she clamped her hands over her ears instead, still keeping her eyes tightly squeezed shut. Someone let out a grunt and Misaki finally peeked to find that the other man, Saito, had stabbed the freak in the arm. Shocked that he was still alive, Misaki could only stare, open-mouthed. She had been so certain that he had died right in front of her...

"Nooo! Stop!" she cried when Saito pulled the dagger out, ready to strike again.

She quickly forced herself to move, grabbing the shovel from where they had dropped it. Using all her might, she swung it at the other man who was closer to her. He tried to block, but Misaki continued to hit him with all her might until he finally dropped to the ground unconscious. With laboured breathing, she finally turned to the other man.

"L – Leave him alone!" she demanded. "If not... I, I'll smack him again!"

He stared at her in disbelief as she poised the shovel over his partner's head. He was already turning purple and blue from all the places she had already smacked him. Even so, he didn't believe that such an innocent girl would actually do major damage to anyone.

"I suggest you do as she demands."

He turned to look at the other one, his eyes growing wide as he was holding a stick that seemed to glow eerily on its own. A crackling sound was coming from it and Saito wasn't sure he wanted to know what that meant. Though the girl might not hurt him, he couldn't be sure with the other one as he had already done something to him.

Lowering his weapon, he stepped away from them and Misaki finally dropped the shovel in relief. She quickly hurried to his side, terrified that he was going to die. They had to get back as quickly as possible! She knew the gun had gone off and she didn't want anyone to die for her sake, especially when she was partially in the wrong... For disobeying him...

"W – Why did you come?" she asked softly, trying not to show how scared she was of him. "If you didn't come, you wouldn't be hurt..."

He didn't answer her, instead, sweeping her off her feet as he carried her away. She protested as his arm had been wounded. Even so, he didn't say anything as he quickly made his way back to the mansion. To Misaki, it seemed like eternity had passed as she could hear her heart hammering inside her chest.

When they finally reached the mansion, he opened the door and let her down at the entrance. Misaki turned to thank him, when the words died on her lips. He slumped to the floor with laboured breathing. Frantic at this point, she rushed up the stairs, calling for the others to help her.

"Mao! Mao!!" Misaki cried. "Please come here!!"

The cat appeared a moment later, staring at her with his steady gaze. His gaze shifted to the direction she had pointed and he quickly raced down the steps when he spotted his master by the doorway. He had not expected this to happen when he left the house... He said he didn't care, but Mao knew otherwise.

**********

**A/N:** Ahaha, no wolves... But just two of the _most _improbable people as _murderous criminals_... XD I thought I was quite clever with that part! I think you can understand why this is one of my favorite chapters now... Not only do Kono and Saito show up as bad guys, but Misaki beats Kono unconscious with a shovel... :p Not to mention the freak coming in to save her _and_ sweeping her off her feet to carry her back! :D I hope you liked it as much as I did cuz I had a lot of fun writing this chapter!!


	9. Chapter 9

Another favorite chapter of mine! :)

**********

**Chapter Nine**

"Let me see it," Misaki said as they were sitting in the kitchen.

Yin and July had prepared the clean linen and hot water. Mao had only given instructions and dashed off on his own when he realized that his master was not going to die. The others had left, and Misaki was a little worried that she was left to take care of him. But she couldn't refuse when she had ultimately been the cause of this.

"I'm fine," he grunted.

"No you're not. You could die if you were hit by that gun!"

"I didn't get hit."

"How can you be so sure?" Misaki asked suspiciously. "I heard it go off!"

"That doesn't mean it hit me. I'm fine because I'm wearing this."

Misaki stared at the jacket he was wearing, not understanding what his words meant. Her hands were positioned timidly over the buttons, like she wasn't sure if she was to take it off of him or leave it on. She shook her head, disbelieving his words. She knew she heard the shot and she knew he was hurt. That was what was important.

She alternated between quickly undoing the buttons and pausing. Considering how much he had denied her words, she was surprised that he didn't try to stop her. Instead, he was quite congenial in the sense that he didn't say anything. With the buttons undone, Misaki paused as she didn't know if she was supposed to help him out of it... She had never seen him in anything besides the jacket and mask.

"I... I need to check your arm," she explained shyly, before she made the move to slip the jacket off his shoulders.

A grunt escaped his lips as Misaki's fingers were gentle while they pushed back the material. It felt awkward to be in this position and Misaki kept her gaze on his chest since her nerves were triggered whenever she stared at his mask.

"Ow! It hurts!" he snarled when she poked around the wound.

Misaki winced, pulling away slightly. She was already trying to be gentle... He didn't have to snap at her. Glancing up momentarily, she quickly glanced away when she saw that he was watching her. It made her nervous, along with the fact that he was this close to her. Considering his reputation, Misaki was relieved to find that his blood wasn't green or some other odd color.

"I... It might hurt," she murmured before she gently dabbed the wet towel around his wound.

"It does!"

"I... I'm sorry!"

They didn't speak as she continued to clean his wound and even bandaged it for him. When she demanded that he show her the other wound, he showed her that he was perfectly fine. The bullet from the gun had not hit him and when she asked how that was possible, he pointed to the jacket again.

"I... I don't understand."

"It's something I invented," he explained. "It's bullet-proof and I wear it because there are all sorts of people out there..."

"I see... I... I should say thank you... I shouldn't have entered your room... If, if I didn't run away... You wouldn't be like this now."

He growled slightly and Misaki was startled by the noise, backing away from him. Even so, she wasn't prepared for what he did next. His hands at her waist had seated her properly on the seat before he knelt at her feet, stripping off her socks. Pulling her feet away, Misaki glanced away when he turned his eyes towards her.

"Feet," he demanded. "I'm not the only one hurt."

"Now," he added when she didn't respond.

Finally, Misaki reluctantly stuck out her feet, reminded of how he had carried her back to the house... A slight blush touched her cheeks, but he wasn't watching as he calmly stripped off his gloves to reveal pale skin. Surprised, Misaki had somehow assumed that he was of dark complexion since he always wore black.

His fingers looked strong and capable as they dipped a clean towel into their bucket of water and swiftly wrung it out. His touch was gentle as he cradled her foot in one hand and gently dabbed her skin with another. A spasm went through her body as he touched a particularly painful area, and he turned to look up at her.

"You'll have to stay in bed until it heals."

"I... I'll be fine," she replied stubbornly. "It doesn't hurt that much."

To prove that he didn't believe her, he purposely touched the same spot and she winced. His eyes seemed to question her and she looked away, disconcerted by his concern. It seemed opposite of the way he had responded when she had been in his room... Even so, he didn't wait for a response as he continued cleaning both feet and bandaged them.

He wasn't finished there as he then proceeded to roll up the sleeves of her shirt to clean the scratches across her arms. A shiver danced along her skin at the points of contact from his careful prodding. It made her aware of the fact that she had never been in such a situation before, and never before with a man like him...

Misaki closed her eyes, trying to block out the sensations caused by his touch. But it seemed to have the reverse effect as she became more aware of where her skin tingled, along with the slight sound of his breathing from behind the mask. Her eyes flashed open when he finally stroked his finger along her cheek where she had a scratch from one of the tree branches.

Oddly enough, she wasn't repulsed by it like she had been when that other man touched her or even when November had tried. If anything, she felt like she should say something before she did something foolish. His eyes were calm when he stared into hers and Misaki felt her breathing become a little bit shallow.

"I... I wonder who that woman was," she blurted out.

He pulled away at her words and she wondered if she had imagined that he sighed. He didn't say anything else as he cleaned up and put away the things they had been using. She had been about to help, but he turned around, as if he could sense that she was doing something. The glitter returned to his eyes, as if he dared her to move and Misaki finally scooted back onto the chair, reminded of his violent reaction the time she had entered the west wing.

When he finished, he scooped her up like he had done in the forest and Misaki could only complain. She wasn't used to this type of treatment and she was too self-conscious of the way her body reacted to him... Even when he was like this. Despite her complaints, he wasn't listening as he carried her to her room and all she could do was hold onto him, lest he dropped her.

**********

**A/N:** Aww... I just looove Hei and Misaki together! Even if he's supposedly a freak... Lolz~ So sweet~ :D


	10. Chapter 10

A few more chapters to go!! :)

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**Chapter Ten**

"Good morning, miss," Yin said as she entered her room with a tray.

"Good morning. I wish he wouldn't make you do this. I'm perfectly fine."

"No, I'm sorry. I can't let you leave your bed until master says so."

"But I'm fine! You tell him that for me," Misaki stated.

"I have, but he doesn't believe me."

"Why ever not? They were only slight injuries, not even as major as his."

"Even so, I can't let you leave your bed," she responded. "I... Please don't try. Master will be angry with me when he finds out. Just let me know what you need and I shall fetch it for you."

"What I need is to get out of this room!" exclaimed Misaki. "I'm going crazy in here and I refuse to stay in here for another day! You tell that to your master."

"Yes miss. In the mean time, please have your breakfast."

Misaki sighed, but nodded in reply. Her master could be quite unreasonable, as he had blamed Yin the first time that she had tried to leave her room. If only he took it out on her instead. But she didn't want the others to be troubled by her actions. It was like he could see through her; hence why he purposely punished the others for what she did, if she disobeyed him.

***

Misaki was reading in bed when the door to her room opened. She glanced up to see the master of the house enter her room. She shrank back a little, still a little scared of him because of that creepy mask. She didn't dare to ask him why he wore it, but she did know that he wouldn't purposely hurt her, despite his original response to her entry into the west wing.

Instead, since her return, he had been the one to find her books from the library. He had even carried her to the bathroom each time she needed to use it... It was quite more than she could handle. He stopped beside her bed, and she noticed that he didn't wear the jacket anymore. Her eyes glanced at him briefly before turning away, a blush creeping into her cheeks as he was really well-toned... Which made her curiosity that much stronger regarding what he looked like.

"I heard from Yin that you would like to go outside."

"That's right," she stated. "If not outside, at least outside of this room! You can't keep me locked up in here forever!"

"I was attempting nothing of that sort. I merely hope that you will allow yourself to heal completely before you start to walk around again."

"I'm fine," she retorted. "And you know that just as well as I do, but you continue to terrorize your own servants. I won't let you punish them for my actions."

"Well then... I suppose you'll just have to find out for yourself what I might do if you try to disobey me again."

Misaki glanced at his eyes, trying to gauge how he was feeling when he said that. She had no other indication of his mood as his mask effectively covered any change in expression he might have. It was like dealing with three dolls, almost. Except that the master was the most difficult of all. Eventually, she put away her book and pulled back the cover as she slipped closer to the edge of the bed. Her eyes never left his as she moved her feet closer and closer to the floor.

"Eek! Put me down!" she exclaimed when he finally lifted her into his arms in one fluid motion.

"No, I don't think I should."

"Put me down!"

"I thought you wanted to leave your room," he replied calmly.

"I do, but I can walk by myself!"

"If I say you're not ready, then you're not ready. Now stop wiggling around before I drop you on the floor. Then I suppose you'll just have to stay in bed even longer if that happens."

"You wouldn't!" she gasped.

"I might if you keep moving around. Now behave."

Pouting as she could never win against him, Misaki finally sighed as she did the only thing she could – wrap her arms around his neck to hold on. She wasn't sure where she was going, but she didn't notice that. Every time he held her close like this, she was aware of her traitorous heart that seemed to pitter-patter at his close proximity. It was quite unnerving to react this way, especially when he insisted on doing so every single time.

When she could calm herself enough to ignore her increased heart rate, she noticed that she was going down a different hallway than the one to the library. He knew she liked to read, so she figured that he would bring her there... But she didn't know where they were going and he didn't share what was on his mind.

Eventually, they reached a doorway at the end of the hall. He opened the door, carefully shifting her in his arms before he turned on the light. Misaki turned to glance at the room, surprised to find a workshop. There were tools carefully organized on one wall. Tables were in the middle of the room with half-worked projects lying on top. Drawers and cabinets were lined up along another wall.

He carried her to one of the tables and gently put her down. Misaki looked around curiously and she figured that this was what her father had wanted to see. Smiling softly, she remembered how he would sit in front of the computer all day, searching for information. When he had gathered enough, he would take it to his own workshop and try to recreate someone's creation.

"What's wrong?" he asked, gently touching her cheek as a single tear rolled down.

"Um... It's nothing. I'm fine."

"I don't believe you."

"I... I was just thinking of my father," she replied honestly.

He pulled away from her as if he was burned and Misaki wondered what had caused that reaction. Without looking at her, he said something about grabbing a chair for her and left the room. Curious to know what he was thinking, Misaki quietly slipped off the table as he hadn't said anything about staying where she was.

She walked around the room slowly, looking at the things he had displayed. He was an organized man; that much she understood. Everything had its rightful place and he always put things back where they belonged. Not knowing what the tools were for, she finally made her way towards one of the drawers.

The door opened behind her, just as she was pulling open one of the drawers. She turned around in surprise to glance at him, worried that he would force her to sit down again. But to her amazement, he didn't say anything. Instead, he placed the chair by one of the tables and turned towards his work, papers laid out in front of him.

"Um... I was just looking around."

"That's fine," he replied distractedly.

He didn't speak to her again and Misaki found herself distracted by the one-eighty he had pulled on her. Just that morning, he had been overly concerned about her well-being. Now, it was almost as if she wasn't even there anymore. Giving up on looking around, she took a seat on the chair that he had placed close to him.

Her eyes followed his movements, but he didn't turn to look at her even when she joined him. Concerned that something had happened, Misaki tried to decide what the best question to ask was. He was behaving oddly and she wanted to know why.

"What are you working on?" she asked softly, trying to draw him into conversation.

"My latest project."

"But what is it?"

"I don't really want to talk about it," he replied, finally turning to glance at her briefly.

"Oh..."

She felt stupid for her reaction, but she didn't know what else to say in response to the way his eyes had pierced hers, straight to her heart. His coldness hurt, especially when he had been unusually kind the days before. The questions were left to linger unanswered in her mind as she figured he wouldn't want to answer when he didn't even want to talk about something like his work.

"I..."

Misaki looked up expectantly, thinking he had something to share with her. She smiled softly, waiting. He glanced at her for a moment, again, that look in his eyes. Eventually, he turned away once more. Even so, Misaki didn't prompt him to speak.

"I think, maybe you should go for lunch," he stated. "I'm sure Yin has the food ready."

"What about you?"

"I'll come later."

"You should come with me," she insisted. "We can have lunch together."

"No. Please, just go."

Confused by this treatment of his, Misaki opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out as she didn't know what to say. Ashamed that tears prickled her eyes, she finally stood up and dashed out of the room. She thought that maybe... Shaking her head, she refused to dwell on the thoughts that swirled around in her head.


	11. Chapter 11

Another chapter for you to enjoy :)

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**Chapter Eleven**

"Misaki."

She looked up when she heard her name, to find him standing just inside the doorway to the library. It had been a couple days since she last saw him. Yin had informed her that she was free to move about on her own, except of course in the west wing. She wasn't stupid and she knew that he was purposely avoiding her.

Quelling the way her heart skipped a beat at his voice, Misaki quietly closed the book, leaving her finger in place as she waited for him to approach her. He stopped two feet away, looking down at her. When she looked into his eyes, she was forced to look away. He still carried that look of pain and she couldn't stand it.

"What is it?" she finally asked softly, when he didn't say anything.

"I... I have a few things I want to give you."

"Give me?"

"Yes... I... That is... Here, take this," he replied, pressing a round clear disc into her hands before quickly stepping away.

"What is it?" she asked in confusion.

"I'm not really sure... I found it. But it has magical properties. I know no one else would believe me if I told them that, but surely you do... After all, you've met Mao and Yin and July."

"What does it do?"

"If you close your eyes and imagine what you want to see the most, it will show it to you," he explained. "I thought... That is..."

"You mean I can see my father?"

He nodded his head, before he finally dropped a bag at her feet. She looked at it in surprise, not understanding what it was for. She glanced back up at him, and she wondered what he was thinking as his eyes hadn't changed and his voice was subdued.

"What's this?"

"I... You don't belong here," he stated. "You're free to go. Go home, and be with your father. I'm sure he needs you and I've done enough to stop you."

"Then what's all this?"

"They're for your father – the things he asked me about. I can't tell him about them, but he can have them. It's my way of apologizing to him and to you."

"Wait!" Misaki cried out when he turned to leave.

He stopped, but Misaki wasn't sure what to say... She couldn't say that she didn't want to see her father and be with him. When she didn't say anything, he finally left and a hollow feeling entered the pit of her stomach. After he had told her that she didn't belong, she couldn't get out the words, to at least thank him.

Ignoring the tears in her eyes, Misaki closed her eyes, tightly squeezing her hands around the clear disc he had given her. Wishing with all her heart to see her father, she slowly opened her eyes to see a vision of him emanating from the surface of the disc. She gasped as he was lying unconscious inside the forest.

Worried about his health, Misaki grabbed the bag he had given her and quickly dashed up to her room. He must have known, somehow. That was why he had allowed her to leave... She quickly tossed her things into the bag, hoping he would forgive her for taking one of his books. But he had given her father presents; she didn't think he would be stingy in giving her one as well.

***

"Master."

"What is it, Mao?" he asked.

"Um... Misaki has left the house."

"I know that."

"Shouldn't we get her back?" Mao inquired.

"It's fine. I said she was free to go."

"But why?"

"It's time she left," he explained. "We've kept her here long enough, selfishly. But she has someone who needs her and it would be unfair of me to keep her from him, especially when she had willingly taken his place."

"Her father...?"

Mao watched as his master nodded in reply, moping around the workshop slowly. Disappointed that Misaki had finally left them, he had been so certain that she was the one. And perhaps she was; that his master had willingly allowed her to leave. Even so, he knew that there would be no turning back for the rest of them anymore.

***

Checking to make sure that she had her car keys with her, Misaki ran into the forest with the flashlight that he had included as part of his gifts. He was in here somewhere and all she had to do was follow where she was led. Desperate to find him, she didn't know how she would without any guidance. And as she had wished for that, a beam of light had radiated from the disc, pointing the way.

She had everything she needed, as she had thrown her clothes into the bag, not that it was terribly important. She could always replace that at a later date. But for now, she needed to find her father. She had no idea how long he had been there. The possibility that he was gone terrified her, and it spurred her on to move faster.

"Father!" she cried out when she finally spotted him. "Father! Can you hear me?"

There was no response and she knelt by his side to check his pulse. His skin was cold and his lips pale, but there was still a pulse. Letting out a sigh of relief, she carefully placed her arm under his back. It was a struggled to support his dead weight while carrying her bag and the flashlight, but she used the disc to help her find her car.

Settling her father into the passenger seat, she pulled off her jacket to cover him. The car started without a hitch and she was glad. It was too far to head home, but she knew of a wonderful inn where she could stop until her father was stable again.

"Amber! Bai!" Misaki cried out when she rushed into the inn. "I need your help!"

Both of them appeared together, a worried look on their faces. Misaki motioned for them to come out as her father was still in the car. Together, the three of them carried him to a room upstairs. Misaki tucked the blankets around him while Bai went downstairs to get medicine.

"What happened?" Amber asked when they were finally settled in the kitchen.

"I... I went to his place and like you had suspected, my father was taken prisoner."

"I knew it!"

"Let her finish," Bai replied. "Continue."

"Thanks. I offered to stay in his place and he agreed. He threw my father out of the house and sent him home. My father must have been searching for me, trying to get back. But he's old and his health isn't the greatest. I'm afraid he must have tried to enter the forest at night."

"But why are you here?"

"He let me go," Misaki explained.

"The freak let you go?! Did he do anything to you?!"

"No, he didn't."

Amber and Bai looked at each other in surprise before glancing back at their guest. This was the first time they had ever heard of anything like that and they didn't know what to say. Their conversation ended there as Misaki excused herself to go check on her father again. She wanted to make sure that he would be fine.

***

"Are you sure you're ready to go now?"

"Yes, of course. I want to get away from there as quickly as possible! I hope to never _ever_ see that creepy face again!"

Misaki smiled slightly, but was still confused about that topic. Though her father, along with everyone else, seemed to misunderstand him, he had actually been kind to her. They had time to read together in the library and he was about to show her his workshop, until he pulled that one-eighty on her... She couldn't say anything in response to her father's outburst as she knew he wouldn't see things her way. How could he when he had last met the man as a hostage?

"Then we'll go home where everything will be fine. I have something to show you."

"Really? What is it?"

"A little something... Now let's get you into the car."

"You're leaving already?" Amber asked as she spotted Misaki helping her father down the stairs. "Couldn't you stay just a little longer? It really is so lonely here with just me and Bai."

"Are you saying that I'm not good enough company?"

"Of course not! But it's always nice to have extra company. We don't mind if you stay here longer, Mr. Kirihara."

"I'm really sorry dear. But I would like to get home," he replied. "There are still lots of things that need to be done and it didn't help that I got myself into such a sorry state. We can always come back to visit at a later date."

Misaki watched as the girl beamed, pleased by that information. They had prepared another basket of treats for them since they had expected this. The two of them thanked them for their well wishes before they entered into the car. Misaki made sure to wave to both of them before she finally pulled out of the parking lot.

"Father, let me know if you're feeling too tired to continue. We can find a place to stop and rest if you need to."

"I'm fine dear. I've been gone from home long enough; we both have been. I'm just glad that you're safely away from that evil monster's clutches," he commented.

"And I'm glad that you're well on the way to a full recovery," she stated, choosing to ignore his last words. "We'll get home and I expect you to rest for the full evening before you return to your normal activities."

"Yes, yes. Of course."

Misaki smiled at her father, pleased that they were together again. She didn't mention anything about that feeling of emptiness in her heart. There was something she wanted to tell him; at least thank him for the kindness he had shown. But his final words indicated that he didn't care to have her around anymore, and in light of that truth, she couldn't bring herself to say anything.

**********

**A/N:** Just in case you didn't get the reference, the "clear round disc" is supposed to be the Meteor Fragment, even if they don't know what it is :) I didn't really think of it at first, but I realized as I was editting this that it's actually a good replacement for a magic mirror. Hope you liked the chapter! Just a few more to go.


	12. Chapter 12

Another chapter up! :)

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**Chapter Twelve**

Misaki and Naoyasu returned home to find that their house was surrounded by neighbours and other townspeople. Slowing the car, Misaki shifted the car into park and cut the engine when she was fully stopped. She went to the back to get her bag before walking around to the passenger side to help her father.

"What's going on here?" she asked as they walked towards their home.

"There! There he is!"

"What's the meaning of this, November?" she asked as he stepped out as the leader of this group. "What are you doing here?"

"It's your father. We've come to get him the help that he needs."

"The only help he needs is to get into the house and rest for the evening. Now leave."

"I think not, darling," he replied lightly. "Clearly, your father has lost a few marbles in his mind as he was screaming and shouting, ranting about a freak who had taken you away. He's delusional! He belongs in an institution where they can help him!"

"He's nothing of the sort!"

"Don't tell me you believe him! Don't be trapped into his hallucinations! I can help you," he replied. "I know you don't want to separate from him, but it's for the best!"

"I do believe him! Because I've seen him myself!"

"Then prove it to us," he retorted with a laugh. "If there really is a freak around here, then I want to see him with my own two eyes."

Misaki glanced around, trying to escape from this commotion somehow, but everyone's eyes were pinned on her. There was no way to get out of this now. Sighing softly, she handed the bag to her father before she pulled out the disc that the freak, she now realized she didn't even know his name, had given her. Closing her eyes, she tried to conjure a vision of him.

Loud gasps went up into the air when they saw the face of the man they had referred to, more accurately his mask. He was sitting at his workshop chair and Misaki was disappointed that they didn't have more time together. Before she could say anything, November snatched the disc from her, waving it in the air.

"This is something strange! The freak must have given it to her! We must get rid of him! We won't stand for any freaks around our town!" November shouted.

"Yaaah!"

"No! Don't hurt him!" Misaki cried. "He's not a bad person!"

"He's brainwashed you! Lock her up, and her father! We'll deal with them after we rid our town of this creature! No one is safe until he's gone! Women and children, hide in your houses! We won't return until you're safe!"

"Noooo!" Misaki screamed, trying to fight her way towards November.

She cried out for him to stop, but no one was listening as he had riled them up. He had taken the disc from her and she had no way to warn him that they were on their way... Rough hands propelled her into her home and into her father's study. Her father was tossed into the room after her, still clutching the bag she had given him.

"Make sure she doesn't get out, and neither does her father," November stated to Eric, a triumphant gleam in his blue eyes.

"Stop it! November! Why are you doing this?!"

"Don't worry, my love. It's to protect you. You'll understand that in time."

He blew a kiss in her direction and stormed up the stairs, the door slamming shut behind him. She didn't know where they found the key, but she heard the lock click. They must have been planning this for some time, while the two of them were away... Angrily pounding on the door, she cried out to be released.

"I'm sorry, beautiful Misaki," Eric stated. "But I can't let you out of here. November has already said not to."

"Please!! This is wrong!! Why are you helping him?!"

"This isn't wrong. You saw him yourself... We can't allow people like him to stay near our town. We'll get rid of him!"

"Misaki..." her father murmured. "It's no use."

"I refuse to accept that! I won't let them do this!!"

Her father sighed, understanding how stubborn she could be; after all, she had gotten that from him. He didn't really care if the others thought that he was crazy, but he couldn't stand the sight of his daughter being riled up and insulted when she had done nothing wrong. His beautiful Misaki was even concerned about the man who had held her hostage...

Sitting down in his chair, he slowly opened the bag that they had taken with them. He found her clothes on the top and he tossed them to the side. She said there was something special inside, so he might as well look at it now when he had the time. His hand touched a metal rod and he pulled it out, filled with curiosity.

A grin broke out across his features and he recognized it. He couldn't believe that the man would give such a thing to his daughter – the electrical conductance wand that had him fascinated from the start. He glanced up to see that his daughter was still pounding on the door, alternating between pleading and insulting November.

"Misaki!"

She finally turned to look at him. A look of confusion crossed her features as she saw that he was grinning. Then she noticed what was in his hand... Recognizing it from the time he had used it to save her in the forest, Misaki stopped her rampage on the study door and went to join her father.

"This! We can use it!" she exclaimed in a hushed whisper. "I've seen him use it!"

"Hm... But I'm not sure how it works. Let me work on this, and you work on a way to get the door open. That Eric isn't the smartest of the crowd."

Misaki nodded as she sat down, trying to think of a way they could trick her. She casually watched as her father poked at the rod, pressing at the buttons on it. It was quite the invention, that something so small could conduct enough electricity to knock someone out... A slight crackle sounded in the air and the two grinned at each other.

"Ahh... Father, I – I can't breathe!" Misaki exclaimed with a wink.

"Oh no! Your medicine is upstairs! I have to get it."

"You can't... He won't let us out..."

"No, you can't leave me!" he shouted. "Misaaaaki!! Open your eyes!!"

"I – I'm sorry father... I tried my best," she replied breathily. "I... I don't think I'll make it. November... Tell him I'm sorry as well."

The door was unlocked and Misaki slightly opened one eye as she was lying in her father's arms, the conductance wand hidden behind him. Eric nervously made his way into the room as he had heard their outburst. He was willing to follow November's instructions if it was to protect the town. But he couldn't do that if someone died in the process, especially when it was the town beauty in trouble.

"I... I could get your medicine for you," he said, shuffling closer towards them.

"Eh? What was that?" Naoyasu exclaimed. "I couldn't hear you!"

"I... I said I could get your medicine for you."

"I... No," her father replied sadly. "I... I think it's too late."

A look of horror crossed his face and Misaki sat up as her father quickly touched the wand to their guard's leg. He squirmed, his body convulsing before he dropped to the floor unconscious. They weren't certain on how to use it, so they checked for his pulse to make sure they didn't kill him. It was still there, so they quickly left him and escaped.

**********

**A/N:** Lolz, poor Eric. I picked on him so much. Yet, with the end of this chapter, it leads us to another fun couple of chapters before the end. There's 3 chapters left, so I hope everyone's been enjoying the story~


	13. Chapter 13

Another short chapter... But another one of my favorites :)

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**Chapter Thirteen**

Misaki scrambled into the car, slamming the door behind her. She had to get to them to stop this! She couldn't believe that November had thought up such a devious plan, just to ensnare her in marriage. Never! She would never give herself to him; she would protect her father on her own if she had to, but he couldn't force her.

Revving the engine, she took off and drove as fast as she could. November and the crowd already had a head start since she had been locked up. Thankfully, she had a bit of an advantage despite the time delay. She had been through the forest a couple times already to know the general direction in which she had to travel.

***

Mao's ears twitched as he heard a noise coming from outside. Yawning, he stretched out his front paws and then the back. A cleaning of his ears came next, as was his habit after waking. Languidly, he made his way towards the nearby window. The house had been so quiet after Misaki's departure. His master locked himself up in his workshop or in his room.

Glancing outside, he saw dancing lights in the distance along with the loud shouts of people headed their way. Listening carefully, he heard them shouting about killing the freak. Jumping down from the ledge, he quickly made his way to find his master.

"Master!"

"What is it, Mao? I thought I told you I don't want to be disturbed," he replied.

"But... There are people coming! They want to kill you!"

"Let them."

"Master! What are you saying?" Mao exclaimed. "Do something! There are a lot of them, probably all the people from Misaki's town!"

He saw him wince at her name, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he stormed out of the workshop and Mao followed him until he watched his master climb the stairs to his room. He refused to let them hurt his master and he knew Yin and July would agree with him. Hurrying to the kitchen, he went to recruit the others to protect their only home.

***

"Kill him! His terror ends here!" November shouted, as they neared the mansion.

It had been a struggle to get through the forest, but everyone had made it with the help of their flashlights. He had his gun holstered to his waist and he was ready to kill this freak. Misaki had seemed worried about this creature and he refused to believe that she would choose him over her. It hurt his ego more than anything else and he wasn't going to let the issue drop.

He watched as Amagiri pushed at the door to find that it was locked. He tried to slam the door with his body and Matsumoto went to help, but it was no use. Impatient to get inside and hunt down the monster, November ordered them to move away. They obliged when he whipped out his gun, took it off of safety and fired a round at the lock.

Nodding for them to move in, they shoved the door open and everyone rushed inside to find that it was dark and quiet. The only sound they heard was their own breathing as each man was nervous about the encounter. They had all heard rumours about the freak, but they never imagined that he was actually real.

"Split up and kill anyone you see. The freak is mine," November instructed.

Despite his words, no one moved. They didn't want to be the first to make a move as it was possible that there were traps inside the mansion. No one wanted to be the one injured, or even worse, killed. Suddenly, one of the flashlights clattered to the ground as Nick tried to stifle a scream. It spooked the rest of them as they jumped and turned to look at him.

"S – Something's there!" he exclaimed, as he had felt something brush against his legs.

"Find it! I'm going to find the freak!"

Each of them swung around on the alert while November dashed off into the house by himself, swinging his flashlight in wide arcs to illuminate his way. The others stayed by the door, each man shining his light at a different area of the house. They could see the stairs and the two hallways that led into the back of the house, as well as the hallways that led to the sides.

"Ahh!!"

"Get it!" Amagiri shouted.

"I can't find it! What is it?!"

"They're scared."

Everyone glanced around at the voice of a young girl that drifted towards them. Anxious, given where they were, they panicked, trying to locate the voice. There had been no one in the house when they had first entered... There could be the possibility that there were ghosts...

"Do you think they taste good?" Mao asked Yin, as he was busy terrorizing them by randomly brushing up against them.

Screams escaped from all of them when his body brushed against their legs. Calmly sitting by one of them, he unsheathed his claws and jabbed it into someone's leg. This was actually easier than he thought it would be, but he was still worried about his master. He wasn't feeling himself ever since Misaki left.

"I want the tall one with the dark hair."

Wei's flashlight dropped to the floor, skittering across the tile when he heard that as it described him. If it were only a freak, he wouldn't feel so terrified, but no one had warned him that they were going to enter a haunted building. The voices were coming from everywhere; left, right, above and even below...

"The small one is cute," Yin stated, answering July. "I want him... I can play with him and hold him when I sleep at night. Then when I tire of him, I'll cook him for supper. I _like_ them young."

Maki shuddered, his flashlight joining Wei's as he was frozen on the spot. He didn't want to play with ghosts and neither did he want to be eaten for supper. He closed his eyes, squeezing them tightly shut as something slinked between his feet again. November didn't say anything about other creatures and ghosts.

"Mm... Then the rest are mine. I think the skins of men are perfect for sleeping on. Not too soft like women. And I think Havoc would like drinking their blood," Mao added, remembering their friend who had passed on.

"Yes, yes she would..."

Finally, it was too much for them to take as they couldn't see anything talking and the voices continued to float around them from all directions. The name they had mentioned seem to seal the deal as each one of them threw down their flashlights and ran out of the mansion screaming bloody murder. Mao calmly went up to join Yin and July on the balcony.

"Well... That was that. I really hope she forgives me for associating her name with such a heinous activity."

**********

**A/N:** No all-out brawls in this one! It's kind of hard to do that when there's only 3 servants in the house :) So instead, they just be creepy and scare them while pretending to be ghosts! Lolz~


	14. Chapter 14

Oooh... We're nearing the end! Second last chapter!! :)

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**Chapter Fourteen**

November crept around carefully, keeping his ears open for any traces of sounds. The sounds of screams from the front of the building had floated towards him and he felt his heart hammering in his chest. The others were in danger, but he blocked it out. He didn't have time to worry about that as it was his task to bring down the freak.

The portion of the mansion he had entered was different from the rest of the areas he had checked so far. This one was filthy and he didn't feel confident that he would find him here, but he wasn't going to stop until he had a corpse at his feet – to prove his worth and to eliminate him from Misaki's mind.

Using his free hand to brush aside the cobwebs, the gun was steady in his hand as his eyes scanned the area for any sudden movement. He stayed close to the wall as a measure of precaution. There was a doorway before him and he tucked the flashlight under his arm before he went to open it. Throwing it open, he jumped into the doorway, grabbing the flashlight to illuminate the space in front of him.

More cobwebs... Carefully entering the room, his flashlight landed on a portrait and he took a good look at it. Frowning as the man in the portrait was even better looking than him, he ignored it and continued. He moved the light to a different portion of the room and nearly jumped when he saw a dark shadow huddled by a small table.

He knew what that was and didn't hesitate to pull the trigger. The sound still ringing in his ears, the freak rose from his crouched position and turned to look at him. A shiver of fear went down his spine as he was faced with the white mask and bloody red lips... Finally he brushed it aside and pulled the trigger again and again, emptying his rounds.

To his dismay, they seemed to have no effect as the freak was still standing there. He didn't move as he watched him. Thinking it would have been easy, November growled before he charged at him, swinging fists and throwing kicks. The freak didn't retaliate, instead, just taking his attacks.

One of his kicks knocked him out into the balcony, the glass from the door shattering from the impact. November didn't understand why he wasn't reacting, but this was the perfect opportunity he needed to rid them of his terrorizing ways, once and for all. Grabbing him by the collar of his shirt, November pulled him up from the ground and punched his face.

The force threw him to the edge of the balcony. November wasn't closed to finished as he grabbed him again, continually punching and hitting him. A crack formed on the mask and the freak turned away to stare at the ground beneath the balcony as it shattered to pieces, falling down that distance to land on the front patio.

"What?" November asked in disbelief as he had grabbed him again.

***

Misaki ran as fast as her legs could take her, ignoring the way the trees were trying to gouge her skin. She didn't care about that. She had to get to the mansion as quickly as possible. She hadn't even turned off the car or closed the car door behind her before she dashed out. The freak was in trouble and she had to help him; she wanted to know his name, because she didn't think of him as a freak...

Her lungs burned as she gasped for air by the time she reached the mansion. Something falling caught her attention and she looked up to see shards of his mask on the front patio. When she glanced up, she recognized the two heads up on the balcony. November was already killing him...

"Nooo!" she cried out. "Don't kill him!!"

***

He looked back when he heard her voice and it was like his heart had another jolt, the opportunity for a second chance. She had disappeared and he turned back to his assailant, a dangerous glitter in his eyes. Swinging his fist since the other was stunned as he stared at him, his fist connected with November's jaw.

Knocked out of his daze, November growled. He couldn't believe the face hidden behind that mask... The same as the one he had seen in that portrait in the room that he had entered to find him. Enraged that someone could be more handsome than him, November didn't hold back as they were engaged in a fist fight.

It was already bad enough that Misaki had chosen the freak, the one with a mask, over him. It was too much to accept that his mask had actually hidden such a beautiful face. November wasn't going to stand for it. Misaki was his and he was going to prove it, once and for all.

Unfortunately, the other was just as good at fighting and it seemed they had reached a standstill as both continued to block and attack, neither getting in a hit. Suddenly, the door slammed open, the sound reverberating in the room. His opponent turned as November knew it would be Misaki and he took that opportunity to pull out his second gun and shoot him.

***

"Nooo!" Misaki cried as she ran into the room to see him crumple to the floor, November holding a smoking gun behind him.

She rushed to his side, prodding around his body for the damage. He didn't respond to her touch and she turned angry eyes towards November. She would never forgive him if he died, since she didn't even have the chance to ask him his name and thank him...

"November..."

"W – What?" he asked nervously, her voice dangerously low as her eyes glittered in the moonlight, a slight flush coloring her cheeks.

"How dare you! He never did anything to you!"

"He's dangerous. I had to take care of him. Now get out of the way, I know he's not dead yet."

"I won't let you kill him!" Misaki exclaimed, standing in front of his body.

"Move!"

"I won't," she replied stubbornly.

November levelled the gun at her, but she didn't move. Instead, she took one cautious step towards him. He backed away, as he couldn't really shoot her. Everyone in town would hate him if they found out that he hurt her... But she just didn't stop and continued to move towards him.

"Ahh!"

Misaki watched as he screamed, conking his head on the edge of the balcony. His form dropped unconscious to the ground and she looked down to see that he had slipped on a piece of the mask that had shattered. Quickly, she turned back to see how he was doing.

"Can you hear me?" she asked, tears streaming down her face as she cradled his head in her lap. "Talk to me!"

She shook his body, disbelieving that he would die on her. She refused to accept it, shaking him until she got a small grunt of complaint. A sad smile touched her lips as he slowly opened one eye to look at her. Gently touching her hand to his face, she was glad to finally see his true image.

"I... I'm sorry," he whispered.

"No... Tell me. Tell me your name, please. I don't want everyone to call you a freak."

"Hei," he said softly, a small smile touching his lips.

Misaki grabbed his hand, cradling it to her cheek as he had reached out to touch her. His hand was cold; he closed his eyes again. Shaking her head, Misaki couldn't stop the tears as she pressed a light kiss to the palm of his hand.

"Please... Hei... Don't die on me. I love you," she whispered.

**********

**A/N:** I know, I know. Gaston dies in the original one, but it's November!! I couldn't _possibly_ kill him!! Though I am a Hei/Misaki fan, I still like November :) So the next best thing... Have Misaki get really mad at him... hehe~ I think that part is so cute. And of course, the Hei/Misaki moment near the end... Aww~ *gushes* So cute together!

And the moment everyone has been waiting for... The answer will be in the last chapter because _why oh why would he wear a mask in the first place?!!_ :p


	15. Chapter 15

Last chapter!! I hope you had as much fun reading my story as I had writing it :)

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**Chapter Fifteen**

Misaki hummed as she carried a tray with her to her beloved's room. After the incident with November, he had slunk back home ashamed of his failure after he had awoken on the balcony of the freak's room. She and her father had moved in with Hei, and they were living together where the two men in her life worked on projects together.

Thankfully, he wasn't actually hurt. When his hand had dropped from her grasp, she had dashed to the main area of the house to find Mao and the others. Mao had helped her check to make sure that he was fine. There were no bullet holes as she had been informed that everything he wore was bullet-proof, just part of his paranoid nature.

Between her, Yin and July, the three of them had moved him to a better, cleaner room in the house. She had asked the others to go back to town for her father as she had left him there. She had stayed behind as she wanted to be the one to take care of Hei.

"Good morning," she exclaimed as she entered the room to find that he was sitting up.

"Good morning."

"How are you feeling today?"

"I'm feeling better," Hei answered, smiling as he watched her.

Reminded of the picture in his room, Misaki felt her heart fluttering in response. Careful not to tip the items on the tray, she gently placed it down on the side table beside the bed. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, she held her hand to her own forehead before touching it to his. To her surprise, he grabbed her by the wrist and tugged her towards him.

"Hei!" she complained as she found her face pressed against his chest. "Y – You need to eat."

"I will."

"Now... Mao already told me how you've been neglecting yourself since my departure."

"I thought you wouldn't come back; why would you?" he responded softly.

"O – Of course I would..."

"Why would you?"

"Because, I wanted to ask you your name," she said shyly.

"And that's it?" he teased.

"Well... No... Because I love you..."

He pulled her away from him slightly, tipping up her chin so she was forced to look at him. Her cheeks burned from the confession, especially since he never told her the same. Even so, the words had slipped out when she thought that he might die. She regretted the fact that she hadn't thanked him for letting her leave; she didn't want to regret this as well.

He stared into her eyes and she couldn't look away. The pain was gone, replaced by a gentleness that melted her heart. His eyes shifted, as if he was looking for something. Misaki was about to speak when he closed the distance between them and pressed his lips to hers. Her eyes closed at the contact; his arms held her closer and she pressed herself against him.

His kiss seemed to answer everything, from the way his lips were gentle against hers and his arms wrapped protectively around her; just like he had done every time he had carried her before. She touched her palm to his cheek lightly and he finally pulled away with a grin.

"I... W – What was that for?" she asked breathlessly.

"I couldn't help it," he replied.

"Hei..."

"What is it?" he inquired.

"Um... Why did you wear that mask? I mean... You're much better looking than November and everyone already thinks he's good-looking..."

"Because," he said with a sigh. "I hate it."

She looked up at him in shock, disbelieving that he could hate his own face. He was the best looking guy she had ever seen before, not that that was the only reason why she loved him. It didn't make sense as most men would kill to have looks like his...

"I know what you're thinking, but it's not that great. Women only liked me for my face and men would be jealous because women flocked around me all the time. No one wanted to know me for who I really was... I just got really angry and decided to wear that mask, so no one would bother me anymore."

"Did you really test your inventions on people then?" she asked quietly.

"Not like the rumours said, though I'm sure you know I used them when I had to – like the conductance wand. I didn't actually lock people up; your father was the first. But it helped that people stayed away because of them, so I didn't bother to correct them."

"You should eat breakfast."

Misaki tried to move away from him, but he didn't release her. Instead, he held her close, hugging her tight. Blushing as she heard his heart beating in his chest, Misaki finally wrapped her arms around him. She never thought that things would turn out this way, and she was content. But she wanted to know how he felt about her, yet she was too scared to ask.

Hei dropped a kiss to her head, still unable to believe that she would come back to him after all that he had done to her. He felt guilty, but had been unable to say no when she brought up the idea of them moving in. In fact, he had been ecstatic. And though she said she loved him, he had a hard time accepting that she would feel that way when he had been such a horrible person.

"Kiss me again?"

Pulling away in surprise, Hei couldn't believe the words he was hearing from her. He had only acted on impulse that first time; it was a response to how unbelievably adorable she had been – confessing that she wanted to know his name. He had purposely not told her since it kept things more impersonal; also the reason why he hadn't wanted to know hers. She looked at him expectantly and he didn't know what to do.

"Hei?"

"Maybe... Maybe this wasn't such a good idea," he said lightly.

"No, what do you mean?"

"I..."

"Do you mean... Why did you kiss me then?" she asked, tears forming in her eyes. "I... I thought that maybe... Maybe you felt the same way about me."

Crushing his lips to hers, he didn't want her to think that he was only toying with her. But it was really too good to be true. She sighed softly, wrapping her arms around his neck to pull him closer still. When he tried to pull away, remembering what he was doing, she didn't let him; her hands slipped to his face to hold him there.

"I love you," she said firmly, when she finally pulled away satisfied. "And I'm going to stay here, even if you don't feel the same way. I'll just have to make you love me too."

Hei shook his head in disbelief. What a handful she was. He hugged her tight.

"My beautiful and proud Misaki," he murmured. "You don't have to do anything. I do love you; I probably have since you first showed up to rescue your father..."

"Do you mean it?" she asked, pulling away slightly.

"Of course."

Misaki beamed, throwing her arms around him again. She was so happy! He kissed her again and she let herself get lost in his gentleness, something she realized was there since her return. The cold and angry responses she had been getting were his way of keeping people away from him. As the two of them were lost in each other's embrace, neither of them noticed the four heads peeking in.

"Well, looks like things are finally how they should be around here," Mao stated quietly.

"My Misaki... How happy she looks."

"We're happy too, now that master is happy," Yin said.

"I know you are. Come on, let's leave them alone."

***

And the six of them all lived happily ever after.

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**A/N:** Our cute little happily ever after... As for Hei... haha, he's _too_ good-looking that he had to cover his face. I hope I didn't disappoint anyone for a reason like that, cuz I couldn't think of a way to incorportate a witch/curse. Besides, I thought it was amusing :)


End file.
